A Noble Cause
by Tallictr
Summary: Being reborn as a Celestial Dragon in a world he once believed to be fiction, Ford decides to push forward with one purpose in mind. To live a fulfilling life. Whether that means using his knowledge to help those he can or to simply travel the world and do as he pleases is entirely up to him. But no matter what he ends up doing, he plans on having one hell of a time doing it.
1. Prologue

"Ford, please! Reconsider what we're about to do! It's dangerous out there!" She was begging him not to leave Mariejois. "What will the other Nobles think of you leaving like this?"

In response to her pleas, he turned sharply on his heels and smiled at her, clearly amused by her concerns. "What will they _think_ of me leaving? HA! They can _think_ whatever they want! Why should I care what a bunch of pretentious assholes think of me? I'll do as I goddamn please."

A groan of frustration and reluctant acceptance left the woman's lips. "Besides, why would I want to waste my life in a place I know like the back of my hand? With all this money and power I wield, would it not better suit me to travel the world and fix what is to come? To see what mysteries and adventures lie in wait for me? For us? And don't pretend you don't understand what's at stake here."

She still didn't look as enthusiastic about leaving as he wanted her to be. He'd need to pull out the big guns. "And you know as well as I do that you're dying to see Fishman Island." A slap on the arm and an 'I can't believe you actually used that against me' look was all he got. And all he needed to get to know she was fully on board.

It had always been Nadine's desire to go there at least once in her life. It wasn't as though she had any family still living there, but more of a strong sense of curiosity towards where she came from before life as a slave. And Ford knew about this desire better than anyone.

"And it's not like we'd be in any _real_ danger. We both know Haki and I've eaten a devil fruit. I'm also pretty sure most of the marine bases will have our backs if we really need anyone's help. Though I'm almost certain we won't."

It was almost minute before she said "Fine. Ok. Let's go." Ford laughed as he picked up Nadine and spun her around. And finally finding the smile that she'd been missing throughout the conversation, she laughed reluctantly at his childlike enthusiasm.

"When are we leaving?" He placed her down and began walking towards the door. He'd been ready to leave for almost a week, only waiting this long to convince her to come with him. Not that he would have even thought of leaving her behind.

In the end, it was just easier to convince her to go without tricking or forcing her to.

"Now, of course. With Fisher Tiger's death, we'll only have so much time before Arlong invades the Conomi Islands." There was no time to waste hanging around Mariejois when that madman was a little less than a year away from screwing up Nami's life.

She nodded her head and put up the 'personal maid' persona she'd used in public so many times before. It was the only way for the two to be able to be seen together whilst outside, away from the privacy that the mansion gave them.

As they walked towards the carriage outside that would take them to the docks, Ford looked at the ocean in the distance. 'This is it. This is where it all begins.' The carriage begins to move as they take their seats inside. 'First up: Nami.'


	2. Chapter 1

It only took an hour for the carriage to arrive at Mariejois docks. As they approached, Ford could see the Marine ships waiting for him. He had to admit; they were super intimidating to look at. Neither the anime nor the manga had done them any real justice to that fact.

But to keep up his appearance as a Noble, he wouldn't allow his face to be anything other than carefree.

It was a poorly kept secret that Ford, or Saint Francis to those who weren't him or Nadine, didn't stay entirely in line with standard Noble behavior. There was no overbearing sense of superiority, or any willingness to go above and beyond in being as cruel as he could towards the servants and slaves, or even any indicators that would suggest he also enjoyed flaunting his wealth as the others did.

But what he lacked in standard Noble behavior, he more than made up for in his ability to schmooze the hell out of just about anybody. If another Noble was about to make a fuss over his lack of punishments towards his servants, a simple comment or question to get them talking about themselves was always the way to go.

And if it sounded like it was an easy feat to pull off, it's because it was. Nobles were about as smart as you'd expect one to be. Not very. And if one managed to get past Ford's attempts at misdirection and insisted on punishment, so far it's only happened once, then he'd do exactly that.

During an incident where one of his servants accidentally spilled some sauce on one of the people around him, Ford had him taken into another room of his home. With a gunshot, the sound of a body dropping to the floor, and the following silence, the offended Noble left to another part of the mansion to change, and the matter was dropped with nonchalance.

The man who had been "shot" in the other room was secretly taken to the other side of the property and set up to work there. Everything would be fine if the man just kept away from any possible guests at all time.

It wasn't any wonder that out of all the servants, slaves, and workers that lived on Mariejois, those that lived in Ford's mansion were the happiest. Not that anyone was even keeping track of something like that.

As the carriage came to a stop, Ford stepped out with Nadine right on his tail. Both were eager to get away from Mariejois as fast as possible.

"Good morning, Saint Francis. Are you ready to leave for the East Blue?" The captain seemed nervous even to be standing near him. Ford couldn't help but wonder if he'd met any less than friendly Nobles before him.

He gave the cleanly shaved man a nod. "Yes, Captain. Though I do hope we can leave as soon as possible. There is much to see, and I wish to not intrude in your schedule more so than I have already." Without waiting for a response, Ford and Nadine stepped aboard the ship and went to their room.

He was thankful for the fact that the room Nadine was given was right next door to his. That way he could easily find her for night time activities. And since he was a Noble, there was no way the crew would even _think_ of disturbing them.

The rooms looked as though they were built to be slept in by Nobles. He knew that no marine slept in this level of luxury. Plus, Nobles tended to travel more often than the story eluded them to.

After settling themselves in and locking the doors to their rooms, Ford waited for the ship to set sail before disappearing from his room and then reappearing in Nadine's.

She hadn't even finished getting undressed before he picked her up from behind and moved to place her on the bed. With a surprised yelp, she found herself on the couch and underneath Ford.

Nadine wanted to put up a halfway decent fight at least before he made his move, make him work for it, but as usual, he was one step ahead of her. He struck when she was at her most defenseless, the moment when her shirt covered her head as she took it off, and proceeded to attack all of her weak points.

Several hours later, the two took showers and enjoyed the meals that had been delivered to their doors. Ford had decided that they'd mostly keep to themselves on the journey. He was tired of being around people who only knew Saint Francis.

The only people he was interested in being with at all for the next few weeks were Nadine and Nadine alone. Preferably naked and in bed.

And like that, a few weeks passed, and the two only showed their faces above deck a total of three times. Once to greet the Captain as they left Mariejois, once to make it known he wished to start his tour of the East Blue with the smaller islands first, and one final time to privately thank the Captain for the privacy given to him and Nadine.

The look on the man's face was well worth it. An equal parts mixture of shock and awe was always amusing to see when you're the one causing it. Being an unexpectedly pleasant person had its perks.

As Ford and Nadine sailed their way across the East Blue, they continued to enjoy their time together. It was mostly them having great sex, but there were also times when they just talked. There were even other times when they just sat quietly in each other's arms.

But this quiet semi-solitude would only last for so long. Eventually, after a few short months of traveling, they arrived at their first stop. The Conomi Islands looked as peaceful as Ford had hoped it would be.

Unfortunately, he could only stay here for maybe a month before he needed to head out to Fishman Island. He had a promise to Nadine to keep and a queen to save from assassination. How that would change the storyline, he didn't know.

But that hardly mattered when facing the fact that he couldn't just let someone like her die. Especially not to some asshole like Hody Jones. And if that shakes things up a bit in the future, fuck it. He was sure Luffy would come out on top no matter how things turned out.

Back to the issue at hand, the crew of the escort ships was ordered by the captain, under orders from Ford, to take leave for about a month while Saint Francis enjoyed his time on the island.

Ford wasn't too concerned with the repercussions that would have on the captain since the East Blue was a relatively peaceful place. And it wasn't as though a large number of marines were taken away. Maybe two patrol ships worth of men and women.

Almost immediately, word spread of a World Noble having come to the island. With his devil fruit powers, his range of hearing dramatically increased. This allowed him to hear farther and much more clearly than the average human.

Amplifying air molecule vibrations wasn't as difficult as it sounded. It was difficult as shit to master, though. But he'd had years to practice his abilities. And with the resources at his disposal, he'd become quite a terrifying force of nature, if he said so himself.

From masters of varying fighting styles, whether they were using Haki, hand-to-hand combat, or swords and guns, to regular training regiments designed to push his physical capabilities to its limits, Ford had made sure he was ready to face the dangers of the world.

He may have been reborn as a Celestial Dragon, but that didn't mean he'd be as useless as one. Of course, no one besides Nadine, who had also been given the same kind of training, knew about this. In fact, he'd gone to great lengths to keep his efforts from becoming public knowledge.

He may not have cared what the other Nobles thought, but that did not keep him from fearing what they might _do._ He knew how the Donquixote family was blacklisted and secretly feared that outcome happening to him.

Mostly, it was because he was sure that the Nobles had also leaked the family's whereabouts, and effectively sealed their fates.

As he walked through the small town that could just have easily been a large village, he expanded his listening range to keep an ear out for the names of the three he'd come for. But before he left in search of Bell-mère, he was feeling hungry for food that didn't come from 'the most excellent food sources in the world.'

'It'll be a humbling experience to eat like a normal person for once. One that's long overdue.' What he'd give for a chance to eat some chicken nuggets with French fries. Sighing as he walked down the street, he could see a little girl with orange hair running full speed towards him.

Discreetly sending Nadine the signal to not do anything, he let child version of Nami bump into him and then into Nadine before running off again with an apology being shouted out as she left. In seven short seconds, the little thief managed to grab a large wad of cash and some jewels from the both of them.

Nadine looked slightly annoyed at having also been a target, but let it slide as she saw a small smile and an understanding look in Ford's eye. The kind of smile that shows what kind of person he truly was.

The kind of smile that left her weak in the knees and the sort of look that made her love him just that much more.


	3. Chapter 2

Hey there! Let me know how you feel about this story and I'll be sure to read it. Enjoy the second chapter and I'll see you guys and girls in the next one. Bye!

Also, let me know if you find any mistakes. I'll be sure to fix them!

* * *

Nadine had been told the story of what Ford had called 'One Piece' many times as a little girl. She'd been enraptured by the tale he told her every night before going to bed. Sucked into the story of pirates and adventure.

A story she thought had been made up by Ford specifically for her. She understood later on how wrong she was, but she had relished in that thought as a young girl.

A tale of freedom and friendship, both concepts she had desired greatly, was an escape from the fact that she was someone's property. Another person's plaything. She had assumed the worst when the other slaves she met told her about what the Celestial Dragons were like.

How cruel they were, how they liked to torture people, how they killed because it was nothing more than a game to entertain themselves with. The first few weeks of slavery were incredibly rough for a child of only seven years.

She'd been shackled and beaten, and then beaten some more for crying too loudly even when she knew she hadn't made a sound since the first time she cried. It was a miserable and undeserved existence.

After several weeks of 're-education', she was sent out onto the auction stage. Her starting price was 1,000,000 Berries. But hearing someone say it out loud opened the floodgates. It was as if all she had been through had only been a nightmare she had yet to wake up from.

At the sound of her price, the tears poured from her eyes and down her cheeks. She felt like screaming out and begging someone to save her. But instead of screams, she only managed to let out strangled choking sounds not able to become loud enough for anyone to hear.

"1,000,000" The first bid. An old man's voice.

"2,000,000" Another old man.

"5,000,000" She felt the tears pour harder as another even older sounding man put a bid on her. His words were dripping with intent. It sounded like what he intended to do with her was worse than anything she'd been told about.

'The lady from before was right. Only old men are going to want to buy me.' She knew, at the very least, she most likely wouldn't be subject to any sexual abuse if a woman had bought her.

But so far it was only old men. That was probably her biggest fear at the moment. The woman from before and the people that had beaten her had filled her head with all sorts of atrocities that she would be subjected to.

"15,000,000" This time a young woman's voice called out. She saved! She was saved from being turned into an older man's plaything! She wouldn't be-

"25,000,000" This time it wasn't an older man's voice, but someone who had the same tone in his voice as the old man who'd bid 5,000,000.

No one else spoke. "Is that is the final bid, then-"

The auctioneer's voice faded in and out as the room began to spin. She couldn't breathe. The world felt like it was going dark. It was over for her. It was all over…

"50,000,000."

"50,000,000. Going once. Twice." A slam of the wooden gavel snapped her back to reality. "Sold."

But the words were lost to her. The next thing she knew, there was a funny smelling bag being placed overhead. And soon after, she felt the comforting embrace of sleep.

When she regained consciousness, she was in a bed. And a boy that looked slightly older than her was sitting bedside with a tray of food.

"Hello." He greeted her with a smile. She was confused. 'What happened to the old man?' "What's your name?" Was the old man his grandpa?

"Hey." The boy poked her, to which she instinctively slapped his hand away. Looking at his reddening hand, the boy frowned.

 _'No!'_ Her heart dropped. The lady had warned her to never fight back. Because hitting them was an instant way to get killed.

She'd been here for less than five minutes and she'd already sealed her fate. She felt the hot tears welling up and threatening to spill over. But the expected beating never came. The boy didn't call for his grandpa or a servant to bring him something to hit her with.

No, what he did was something that she'd never forget for as long as she lived.

Putting the tray of food off to the side, he sat up from his chair and sat next to her on the bed before reaching out to her.

"It's okay. You're safe, now." He wrapped his arms around her. She stiffens in response, her body flinching as it unconsciously anticipates a beating. "No one's gonna to hurt you. As long as you're with me, no one is ever gonna to hurt you."

The tears once again poured down the sides of her face. Her arms lifted themselves from her sides, where they had been hanging limply until that moment, and slowly wrapped themselves around the young boy.

After suffering like no seven year old should ever have to suffer, she'd finally had the chance to let it all out. And she did.

The boy held her for what felt like hours. Eventually, she fell asleep once again, but this time without the weight of her crumbling world on her shoulders.

It had been almost a week since Ford had bought the little girl he saw on the stage. And how could he not? She was just…so afraid. There was a voice in the back of his mind as he watched her just trembling in place on the stage.

He was pretty sure it was his old world's sense of right and wrong telling him to save her. He easily could. There was absolutely nothing in his way. And so, he would. He wasn't so naïve as to just buy her and then release her.

She'd be eaten alive if she was all by herself. It was only logical that he buys her. To protect her. And if in return for being saved, she ended up being his companion for the foreseeable future then so be it.

A bit selfish, he knew. But being all alone in a world you once knew to be purely fictional made you do things. Things you aren't proud of, but accept them as commitments you've made regardless of the circumstances.

During the first week, she kept a cautious distance. Not allowing herself to get too close, but staying just far enough away to feel safe. And while she did, he let her do her. He reasoned that she'd get close whenever she felt like it.

Since it was just him and her in the entire mansion, aside from some of the wait staff, they were the only other regular company they had.

They ate meals and snacks together, they wandered the huge mansion together and even slept in the same rooms together at night. He couldn't very well expect a seven-year-old little girl to sleep all alone in a foreign place. That'd be such a dick move.

Eventually, though, her 'keep a distance' attitude had fallen away. Nadine began following him much more closely. And seeing that he had no problem with that, she latched tighter onto the one thing keeping her afloat.

Her only friend in the world.

She was seven, but she wasn't stupid. It was several weeks after being brought back to Mariejois that Nadine recognized how when she felt alone it was usually because Ford wasn't there. Sometimes he'd needed to take care of things outside their home and he couldn't bring her with him.

It hurt, but she didn't know why. Did he have other friends she didn't know about? Other friends, that he wanted all to himself? She'd ask him when he got back. He always answered the questions she had.

No matter what the question was, she would always get an answer. And if he didn't know either, he'd go looking for the answer with her. The two were having such a nice time together, she'd almost forgotten the part where she was still something to be owned.

Though that wouldn't be a problem until later on in her teen years. Something Ford had expected but also dreaded. And for good reason, too.

When Ford got back from another one of those 'taking care of things' trips, Nadine eyed him carefully and asked

"Do you have any other friends? Is that where you go every couple of days?" Her question seemed innocent enough, but his answer had the potential to set her off. Unfortunately for Ford, that was just the type of girl she was.

He didn't answer right away. He looked…contemplative. But for seven-year-old Nadine, he looked guilty.

"I knew it! You're such a meanie keeping me here all to yourself. Why can't I go play with your other friends too?" It took all he had not to laugh at her pouty little face. Adorable was the only word to describe it.

"Because they're not my friends, Nadine. You're the only friend I have in the world. The things I do outside of the manor is only to keep me in on the adults' good side. If they didn't like me, then I'd be in trouble."

'This is the best way to explain things to her, for now. I only hope the truth doesn't hit her too hard as she gets older.' It was hard trying to pretend to be childlike when you've been an adult for nearly sixty-five years.

And pretending to be a child meant having to explain things like a child. Especially to another child.

So he did the best he could with what little he wanted to give out. And it seemed to be enough for Nadine to go "Okay! I forgive you." and give him a hug. Giving her one back, he sighed internally.

'Even in another world, women are always the same.'

Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. One that supported an idea he had around the time he first brought Nadine home. "Hey. You like stories, right?" The little girl shook her head excitedly.

"Well, if we brush our teeth and change into our pajamas fast enough I'll tell you a really good one." The phrase 'Hook, line, and sinker' came to mind as Nadine proceeded to run up the stairs and into their bedroom to do exactly as he suggested.

After getting ready himself, he came back into the room to find Nadine already in bed waiting. Though, why she was in his bed, he could only wonder. Well, it didn't matter. As long as she was in bed by the time he liked to consider her "bedtime" then it was all well and good.

"So what story are you telling me tonight?" She was ecstatic at the prospect of Ford telling her a bedtime story. And Ford was little excited himself. Storytelling was something he thought himself to be great at.

And now that he was in a world where even the classic of the classics he grew up with never even existed, he could take pleasure in absolutely stealing the crap out of them. And who was going to stop him? Absolutely no one. He loved it!

"Is it Cinderella?" He shook his head. "Snow White? Peter Pan? Three little-" He laughed at her enthusiasm. "No. It's a new story. One that'll take me a long time to finish. But it's a _really_ good one. You interested?" The amount of solemnity in her rapid nodding was almost too much.

A deep breath in and out. "Ready?" She leaned in with wide eyes. He smiled and began to spin the tale of the greatest pirate who ever lived, and those who would come after.

"There once was a man named Gold Roger…"


	4. Chapter 3

As Nami ran away from her most recent targets, an oddly dressed man, and woman, she couldn't help sneaking a peak of what she'd managed to grab this time. Usually, she was only able to get a few Berries here and there, as the people of her hometown were only slightly better off than her own family was.

This time she felt like she'd grabbed something much more substantial than a few spare bills. In one pocket, she discovered that she'd taken a pouch filled with several folded stacks of paper money with a lot of zeros printed on them.

At first, she felt proud of her accomplishment and joy at the idea of being able to give this much money to Bell-mère. It seemed as though money was always an issue for them, even if it was never acknowledged.

But the feeling was short-lived, as she realized something. What she had grabbed was…too much. The villagers never made any real fuss over the fact that she took the small amount that she did. She reasoned that they probably wouldn't miss that two or three Berries she'd swiped.

But this very thick wad of Berries was something that someone was going to miss. And her island wasn't that small. The man and woman wouldn't be able to find out where she lived, would they?

She wanted to say no, but the adults she knew had always managed to do things that she never thought could be done.

As she was thinking about how much trouble she might be in, Nami suddenly remembered that she'd taken from the woman as well. And inside _her_ pockets were…jewels. 'Oh no!' She shoved them back into her pocket and grabbed at the sides of her head.

Her heart was racing, and she honestly felt like crying. She didn't know that she'd end up with so much expensive stuff. Unsure of what to do, she decided to run back home and tell Bell-mère. She'd get smacked on the head, but at least she'd feel better.

Genzo was running as fast as his legs could carry him towards Bell-mère's house. He'd seen the entire incident and wasted no time in trying to warn his friend.

'A Celestial Dragon! A Celestial _fucking_ Dragon! Of all the people to steal from! Idiot' He was almost there. He just needed to get over the next hill, and he'd be there. He already had a plan worked out.

They would take his boat and sail as far away as possible while he tried to delay the no doubt incredibly pissed off Noble.

Soon the house was in sight. And so was Bell-mère. He raised his hand to try and get her attention. He was too out of breath to even speak let alone yell out at her. But as he began to wave it was as though time had stopped.

Because after Bell-mère came into view, so too did the very same man and woman Nami had stolen from.

The tangerine grove was much larger than he thought it would be. He'd have to try one later, but for now, he'd need to take care of the task at hand.

Walking up to the door of the small house beside the noticeably larger grove, he knocked on the door and waited for the woman inside to answer. But instead of a woman, it was a purple haired little girl.

Nojiko.

He gave the little girl a smile and a small wave to which he received a toothy grin. Then the woman he expected to answer had shown up behind her with a smile of her own as she shooed Nojiko back inside.

"How can I help you?" She seemed to be in a good mood. It almost made him feel bad for what he was about to say.

"Are you the mother of a little girl with orange hair? About this tall?" He lowered his hand to knee level. And almost immediately her good mood went out the window.

Bell-mère frowned. "I am. What's she done this time?" Ford was about to answer when Genzo came stumbling towards the three of them. He was sweating profusely from running for so long, and was too out of breath to get anything other than gasps out.

"Right." Ford drew out the word. "Well, she's stolen something from me."

A small cry could be heard as an orange blur ran up to Bell-mère and held onto her legs in a death grip. 'It seems everyone is here and accounted for. Anyone _else_ wanna come join the party!?' The irritation at being interrupted a second time was starting to show on his face.

Nadine, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying watching him getting worked up. She thought he looked cute when he was upset. Cutting him off mid-sentence or interrupting him was one of the only things someone could do that would ever _really_ get under his skin.

And judging from his body language, he'd probably explode if it happened again.

Letting his irritation take the reign, he got to the point. "This one took something that belonged to me. I want it back." He held out his hand towards the little girl.

Genzo, having finally caught his breath, managed to speak up in a harsh whisper. "Nami. Give back what you stole. He's a _Celestial_ _Dragon_!" The last part was aimed more towards Bell-mère.

"Please, Saint Francis. She's just a little girl. She doesn't know any better."

It was a painful silence that followed. Ford needed to let them know he wasn't the bad guy, but planning something like that out was far too complicated. So he decided just to wing it. It wasn't like he needed them to like him or anything. Only to recognize that he helped them out when they needed it most. Both then and in the future if they were smart enough with what he'd given to them.

"You know," The air was thick with tension as he kneeled down to Nami's eye level. "I could easily punish you. I could take you away from your home, and never let you see it again." Genzo and Bell-mère looked horrified, and Nami was once more on the verge of crying. And if you listened carefully enough, Nojiko was also sniffling from behind the front door.

But Nadine just rolled her eyes. 'Always with the theatrics. Can't he see how terrified these poor people are? Honestly.' In the quietest voice possible, she says "You can be such an ass sometimes."

With Ford's enhanced hearing, he heard her and failed to hold back a smile. But he managed to add a small chuckle and play it off. "But I won't."

They let out a breath of relief. "You took some jewels from me. But if you give them back right now, we can forget this whole thing ever happened. Deal?" Nami gave a shaky nod, reached into a pocket and pulled out a handful of jewels.

He gave her a wink and turned to leave. He'd only made it a few steps before she called out to him. "What about the pouch?" As both were turned around, no one could see the look of exasperation he shared with Nadine.

But he couldn't expect someone so young to understand the meaning of him not bringing up the money pouch.

He kept walking as he responded. "What pouch?" And that was that.

No one called out to him, and he didn't stick around to see what happened afterward. Though, they could expect the marines to buy up the rest of their tangerines. It would be bad if they got scurvy while they were out at sea, after all.

It had been a month since they had met Nami's family and then left the Conomi Islands. Currently, they were on their way to Usopp's village. Syrup Village, if he recalled its name correctly.

"Almost definitely something with the word syrup in it." He felt Nadine's head vibrate as she spoke.

"What about syrup?" She laughed. Listening to Ford think out loud was almost like a game. He usually said the last sentence in his train of thought, so whenever he did, she would try and guess what he was thinking about.

"Nothing. Just thinking about what we've managed to do so far. And what still needs to be done." That brought up a point she'd meant to talk with him about.

"Wouldn't it have been better not to have threatened them? Nami and her family, I mean. Acting the way you did didn't exactly win their trust. Surely she'll remember how you said she would be taken away from her family and home. And it felt like you barely tried at all to get make yourself seem more like a person and less like a Noble."

Ford shrugged his shoulders and pulled Nadine in closer. The bed covers didn't do half as good a job at keeping him warm as she did. "I realize now that making friends with them will have to wait. Because as much as I want to be their friend, there are still things that need to be taken care of."

She nodded. "Trying to help Usopp's mom and preventing Queen Otohime's assassination are our only concerns at the moment. I get that." She turned her body to face him. "I just think that being a bit friendlier with the people we're trying to help would go a long way. Especially if we're going to be working closely with them at some point in the future."

He sighed as she turned around once again and leaned back into him. "You know," Nadine felt his hands sliding adventurously down her stomach. "I never did get you back for calling me an ass. I think we need to have a little chat about your manners."

Nadine spent the rest of the night being taught a lesson she wouldn't soon forget as their ship came closer and closer to Syrup Village.


	5. Chapter 4

*Huff* *Huff* "How much longer are we going to do this? I'm getting hungry." The two had been going at it for several hours. Neither had eaten any breakfast and it was almost time for lunch.

*Whew!* "Just a little while longer." He could hear the whine in her voice before she actually even said anything. "Don't forget that you wanted to do this in the first place." He pointed a finger at her.

A muffled grumble was all she gave him. "Hey, don't get all pouty just because I'm absolutely wrecking you. I was completely fine with skipping out on our training today and just having sex in the nice comfortable bed. If anybody has the right to complain about this, it's me."

A wet towel hit him in the face, to which he pulled it away and flung it back at her.

As the soaked towel wrapped around her face, she let out a surprised "Ah, gross!"

He stuck his tongue out at her and pulled down on his eye as he quickly left the room. They may have been playing, but Nadine never liked letting him have the last word.

Once he was back in his room, he quickly showered, shaved, and got dressed. According to the Captain's estimates earlier in the morning, they were several hours away from Syrup Village. At this point, they should be there at any point in the next hour or so.

It turns out the name of the island chain on which Syrup Village is located was called the Gecko islands. He really needed to start writing down the smaller details of the story so he wouldn't lose track of them later on.

The only thing that held him back from doing so was that he was afraid of someone finding them and realizing that he knew things that weren't supposed to be known by anyone. Future things.

He finished getting ready and was back in Nadine's room just as she herself was getting out of the shower. "How you take such long showers is beyond me. I mean, what do you do in there? Obviously, it's not the same as what you do when you're with me."

He heard her snort as she laughed and then groan in embarrassment. 'Even after all these years, she still feels super self-conscious about her own laugh. I make one joke about it, and I scar her for life.'

He rolled his eyes as he walked into the bathroom. Upon entering, he received a particularly baleful glare. "How many times do I have to tell you that there is nothing wrong with your laugh? It's cute and I like it. I honestly don't know why you think it's so terrible."

"Maybe it's because someone once said I sounded like a cute little pig!" She practically hissed the word 'pig' as she angrily brushed her hair.

Ford had nothing to combat that. He did say that a very long time ago after several large glasses of what he thought was some sort fruit juice. It wasn't.

It turns out; it was alcohol. Very delicious and very concentrated alcohol. And among some other questionable outbursts, he may have tried and failed miserably to hit on a very sober Nadine.

Worst three days of both his current life and his last. He shivered just thinking about it, knowing he'd never look at steak knives the same way ever again. 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, indeed.'

Knowing this would require more than just honeyed words he made his way over to her, careful not further anger what could be the end of him.

"Honey," an angrier glare gets thrown his way via her reflection in the mirror. 'Well, shit.' He loosely wrapped his arms around her stomach and placed his head on her shoulder. "Come on. Don't be mad. Your laugh is like music to my ears. I love listening to you laugh! I wish I had your laugh."

The glare lessened to a mild pout. 'Progress!' He began gently rocking the both of them side to side. "I know what'll cheer you up." Inches away from using his finishing move, several knocks on the door to his room made him freeze.

"Motherfu-" He let out an explosive sigh. 'I swear to God we had better be at Syrup Village. Because if we're not, someone's getting a foot shoved up their ass.'

"It's alright, Ford. We can finish this when we get back. You can use your so-called 'finishing move' on me then."

'How did she know about my finishing move!?' Nadine laughed as she kissed him. "Don't act so surprised. I know you better than you think, Ford."

"It's so confusing." She gave him a questioning look. "I honestly don't know whether to be intimidated or turned on. But I guess I'll settle for a little of both. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a messenger to not to strangle to death." Giving her one last kiss, he moved into his room and opened the door.

He didn't say anything. Instead, he stood there, waiting for her to say what she had to say.

"S-saint Francis…we've r-reached the Gecko I-Islands…" The poor woman was terrified. Her commanding officer had warned her not to do or say anything to anger the man, but how could she have anticipated that he was already in such a foul mood.

All the horror stories of what the Nobles did to people whose only crimes were being in the wrong place at the wrong time played in her mind. Like her right now.

Would he enslave her? Could he do that to a soldier? What was she talking about? Of course he could. He was a Noble! He could commit any number of atrocities he wanted to.

"Is that so? Good. Tell the Captain to get a small boat ready. I want to be in Syrup Village as soon as possible." The door was promptly closed, leaving the stunned woman to stand there before sinking to the floor in relief.

"I'll be walking around the village alone. Feel free to do as you please until I'm ready to leave." Without saying anything else, Ford and Nadine walked away. And as uncertain of the Noble's actions as they were, the Marines were still relieved to see him and his servant go.

Walking into town, he went relatively unnoticed by the people going about their day. Nadine, on the other hand, was on the receiving end of a lot of curious stares. Fishmen were not seen too often in the East Blue, after all.

He was about to make a joke about her being the center of attention but noticed the look of growing discomfort and something he'd found very displeasing. Something he'd hoped wouldn't be an issue until much later. But still, it was surprising she lasted as long as she did.

Ford spoke low, manipulating the air around them to only allow Nadine to hear him. "Nadine? What's wrong?" Her response told him all he needed to know.

She quietly sniffled, and subtly rubbed a tea away from her eye. "Nothing. Just not used to the stares, y'know?" Though he could read between the lines and into her little slip of the tongue. She was used to the stares, as a Fishman in Mariejois she had to be. Rather, it was the fact that none of them held any of the usual disgust.

There was none of the arrogance, superiority, or anger behind any of them. Only a mild curiosity directed at something rarely seen outside of the Grand Line; let alone a small chain of islands in what people consider to be the weakest Blue.

"Come on." The wind began to blow against her back, guiding her in her increasingly distressed state. A few gentle pushes and verbal directions had them hidden away amongst the trees and shrubbery.

Soon they were far away from any people who may accidentally stumble upon them. Nadine must have either realized this or simply not cared, as she began to cry hysterically into Ford's chest.

After several minutes, she tried speaking but found herself only able to let out choked sobs and incoherent apologies. Ford lowered their bodies to the ground and waited for her to cry herself out.

"It's ok. I'm here. It's all gonna be ok. Don't you remember? As long as I'm here, no one's gonna hurt you." He whispered soothing words into her ears, running his hand through her hair and trying his best to comfort her; something he'd discovered relaxed her.

It was a sad fact that while Nadine was usually a stable individual, there were times when she sort of…loses herself…when facing certain stress inducing situations.

So while she may ordinarily be okay to live her life as she pleases, a trigger of some kind may send her into what Ford liked to call an 'episode.' Generic and unoriginal, but accurate. The way Ford saw it, this time she was overwhelmed by the stares of the village people.

But they could talk about what the details of this specific episode entailed later. For now, though, he would sit with her for as long as she needed him to.

Several villagers would later discuss the heavy winds that moved through the island, lowering the temperature and bringing feelings of melancholy to its inhabitants. And whether this had anything to do with Ford, they would never know.


	6. Chapter 5

Saving Usopp's mother was momentarily forgotten when Nadine had her episode, but the two were eventually settled down enough for them to look for the long-nosed child and his mother.

Looking down at the jade colored bottle of pills, Ford's thoughts began to wander. 'I can only wonder if it's just a simple case of not being able to obtain high-level medicine.' Most people in small places like this were bound to die from an illness they can't treat.

Chances were, she could have been cured had they the right kind of medicine. Like the one he was holding in his hands, and also the others that he and Nadine were carrying on their person.

He wouldn't take any chances. Even after doing extensive research into diseases and medical conditions, both commonly and uncommonly contracted, in the East Blue, he still felt it best to stockpile on all the medicines he could get his hands on. Which, of course, meant all the medicines.

He'd even had his secret team of researchers and doctors working to update and improve any of the medicines that were merely suppressants rather than cures.

Out of the seventeen suppressants used in the East Blue, eleven were able to be made into a medicine that would eradicate the illness while the rest were either left as is or strengthened.

And through many years of research and development, a cure was created for what was believed to be Usopp's mother's illness. And if it wasn't what they thought, she could always try the general suppressants that World Nobles were given to keep them as healthy as possible. Whatever she had, it wouldn't be able to do any serious damage for a few extra years.

And at one point, he'd ordered them to create a contraceptive pill that would work with both Humans and Fishman. He was caught a little off guard at the nonchalant responses he'd been witness to. His words at the time as he shared this with Nadine were "It was pretty fucked, to be honest."

However, when he had thought it over, it was to be expected. Nadine had been at his side for most of his life. This included his adolescence, so it was pretty easy to conclude as to why he would want to have a way to not get her pregnant.

But it was worth it when they succeeded because it meant that there would be no worries if they were to get busy. Ford was living in a world without condoms, which meant a world without someone going 'Oh shit, this might get me pregnant if I'm not careful' and instead saying 'Oh shit, this might get me pregnant if I'm unlucky.'

And while he loved Nadine and cared for her deeply, knocking her up was not anywhere near the top, middle, or bottom of the list of things he wanted to try in bed with her. Or wherever else they happened to be at.

Ford had made it a point to use every resource at his disposal to set the stage for his departure from Mariejois. And this extended beyond the training both he and Nadine dedicated themselves to for a better part of a decade, which was practically half of their lives by this point.

Researching new medicines, updating old ones, studying whatever topic he thought would help him with the dangers of the sea, setting aside money in case being a Noble didn't work out, befriending each and every slave he'd bought from the auction houses in Mariejois and Sabaody, and several other creative measures.

Focusing, he began to listen in and filter through the multitude of voices his air molecule manipulation allowed him to hear. Soon he narrowed it down to women and children, and then to children, and then once more to male children.

He laughed as he listened in to their conversations. Conversations that only children could have with adults and other children.

Playing children had always brought a smile to his face. Even when he was a young man on Earth, he liked to leave his window open and hear the childish shrieks of surprise and laughter as they played and ran around on the streets outside.

It was like listening to the innocence of the world before they were corrupted by responsibilities and the hard truths of the world.

"I've found him, Nadine." He only received a slow nod in return. The good news was that she was no longer having an episode. But that didn't mean that she was all better.

The still in effect downside was the introverted tendencies she now had that would linger for several days. Not something that was too difficult for them to deal with, but would still require some delicate maneuvering on Ford's part.

For now, though, he would need to focus on Usopp's mother. They could work on Nadine's issues back on the ship.

"Stay here, my love. I'll be back in a little while." Kissing her goodbye, Ford made his way towards the direction Usopp's voice came from.

From the sound of things, he had just been given permission to go outside and play. Which meant His mother would be all alone. It also meant he'd finally be able to give a name and face to the person.

He remembered her having a long nose, slightly pointier than Usopp's, and black hair with a sort of greenish tint. But other than that, nothing. Though, he wouldn't imagine it to be too hard to find someone with those features in such a small village.

'Maybe her name will be something that kind of sounds like Usopp or Yasopp?' he thought to himself. 'The people of this world have a habit of naming their children with unusual names.'

He smiled to himself. 'Like Usopp and Yasopp, for example. And who the hell knows what was up with Garp and naming his kid Dragon. I mean, yeah it's a badass nickname if you're some party animal in college. But it's not exactly one you give to your newborn son, is it?'

Whatever it was, Ford just hoped it was something he could say without feeling to need to roll his eyes. Or worse: laughing. Something he was wholly capable of doing.

Banchina was dying. According to the doctors, she had less than a year to live. And to add insult to sickness, no one could tell her exactly how long. They called it something she hadn't ever heard of before.

But essentially it was caused by some aggressive bacteria entering her body, most likely several years before the diagnosis judging by the severity of the symptoms she was experiencing, and lying dormant until it suddenly flared up and wreaked absolute hell onto her.

Unfortunately for her, it wasn't within her monetary capabilities to receive any lasting treatment. Instead, she was given some medicine that targeted the symptoms. Though the doctors estimated that she would only be able to afford a small dosage of the medicine with what she currently had saved.

In the end, she took the medicine then and there. She didn't want to have to explain to Usopp why she needed bed rest so often so soon. For his sake and hers. Because what mother wants to ever tell her son that she's dying.

Her son, her brave little warrior of the sea, Usopp was only seven. Almost eight. Yasopp was who knows where following his dream and once she was gone, her son would be all alone. He was just a child, and it broke her heart that there wouldn't be anyone left to take care of him.

Knowing that Usopp had gone out to play and wouldn't be back until lunchtime, she allowed herself to make a prayer out loud. Not something she did often, but if there was ever a time to make one, it was now.

"Please…please…help me. I know I don't pray often, and I know you don't answer when I do. But I'm begging you on my hands and knees. Send me a miracle. Anything. I can't leave my son alone. He needs me…I…I can't…I don't want to die. I don't…I just…I need to be here for my son. Please."

The silence was deafening. To anyone else the sound of the trees blowing in the wind, waves crashing against the shore, and the occasional cry of a seagull was nothing out of the ordinary. But not to Banchina.

To Banchina, the minutes of mind-numbing silence was the answer she was dreading. A refusal to even acknowledge her cry for help. That was it. It was over. She would die, Usopp would be left all alone, there'd be no chance for her to ever tell off Yasopp for leaving her and their son behind to fend for themselves, and her very short life would be over before it ever really started.

"fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, Fuck, Fuck, FUCK, FUUUCK!" The frustration, rage, confusion, uncertainty, and everything else she'd managed to bury deep down inside her since she had been diagnosed was let out.

She ran around the house throwing furniture, slamming doors, kicking cabinets, and anything else she could do to let out all the suffering she'd withheld those last seven months. At the end of it all, the house that was often kept immaculate looked as though several hurricanes and a particularly destructive tornado had blown through it.

Laying in the center of the large mess, Banchina curled up into a tired ball and stared blankly at the front door. She wanted Usopp home already. She wanted to see his smile, hear his laugh, and hug him until she didn't hurt anymore.

It took an hour until there was a knock at the door. Forgetting that Usopp never knocked before he came inside, Banchina practically ran into the door and forced it open. On the other side, however, was not her son. Much to her dismay.

But whoever he was, he was handsome enough to not immediately retreat into her house. Maybe she could get rid of him somehow. Even if he was handsome, she was too glum to try and act as pleasant as she often pretended to be.

"Hello. Would you happen to be the owner of this house?" He seemed like a nice man. Clean shaven, well dressed, and good smelling. Though she managed to avoid blushing, she couldn't help but notice the way he smelled was amazing.

'Maybe he's wealthy?' She didn't know, but anyone who could afford enough soap to smell as good as he did must have some sort of rich background. 'His parents, perhaps?'

"Miss?" Banchina's mind came crashing back to reality as the stranger called out to her. "Huh? Oh! Y-yes, I own this house. What can I do for you, Mr.…?" She drew out the last word.

The man smiled and extended a hand, grabbing hers and bringing it up to his lips. 'Maybe Nadine's 'being friendly' idea might be more effective with this one. From what I gathered during the short conversation we had, Bell-mère just didn't seem like the type to trust someone who did this kind of stuff.'

The woman who answered the door, however, did. "Just Ford is fine. And your name?" Ford couldn't help but be amused by the very large blush extending down to the base of her neck. "M-my name!? My name! It's…uh…Chanbin- Banchina! It's-"

"A lovely name. One I've never heard before. I very much like it." If it was possible, her blush deepened. "May I come in, Banchina?" She nodded her head shyly before stepping back and allowing him to take a step inside.

Meanwhile, Ford was mentally berating himself for falling into the very situation he was trying so very hard to avoid. Growing attached too soon. There was also another issue he hadn't considered.

'Damn you, Nadine! I'm being too nice to her. The poor woman thinks I'm hitting on her. Well, technically I am trying to charm her a bit. But I'm trying to save her, not seduce her!' Ford decided to push on in his endeavor and ignore her obvious crush on him.

To distract himself from the awkwardness he was sure only he felt, he tried to think of other things. 'Her name's a lot better than I had expected. At the very least it didn't turn out to be as terrible as Dragon.'


	7. Chapter 6

It took Banchina several seconds to realize her mistake. She had been so charmed by Ford and surprised by his sudden appearance that she had completely forgotten that she'd gone on a rampage and made a large mess.

Her heart sank a little as she watched him walk in and take a good look around. She hardly knew the man, but didn't want him to think she was a slob when, in fact, she was one of the most anal people she knew when it came to things being clean and in place.

"Do you mind if I have a seat?" He didn't even bat an eye. 'Is he just being nice?' Banchina nodded her head. "I'm sorry about the mess. I sort of…went a little crazy with the redecorating." 'Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! A messed up house and a terrible joke!? He probably thinks I'm weird now.'

Ford laughed at the joke, which he honestly thought was quite funny. He moved across the room and picked up some pieces of overturned furniture. He sat down at the table and gestured for Banchina to sit in the chair across form him.

After slowly taking a seat and watching him smile patiently at her, she gave an unsure smile back. "I'm sure you're wondering why I've come. But before I tell you, I need to ask. Are you expecting anyone to show up? Any friends, family, or guests?"

An odd question, but not something she was opposed to answering. And that was more than likely Ford's greatest edge in this conversation. It was a little mean, but people from small villages and towns were usually naïve enough to place their trust in strangers.

Growing up in an area where everyone knew everybody else had made them complacent. They didn't have a strong sense of caution and were thus easily manipulated for the most part.

"Um, no." A sudden look of anticipation appeared in her eyes. "Actually, my son Usopp usually comes back around dinnertime."

Again, how trusting to let him know how long it'll be before anyone would come and see the two of them. 'It's like she's begging me to take advantage of her right- Agh! No! Bad thoughts. Go away! Focus on the task at hand you moron! You're trying to save her life!'

Now, if Ford had to say what the hardest part about living in this world was, it would be a tough question to answer. Not because he didn't know, but because he didn't like the answer he'd have to give.

Back on Earth, there was an old saying that he thought correctly mocked him and his predicament. A saying that became his unofficial mantra in times of significant turmoil. 'Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.'

When he first came into his new life, he was fresh from Earth, where the majority of the world lived by modern day morals. 'Don't do what's bad or easy, do what's right.' It was how he lived his new life for the first few months.

And while he had always trodden the line carefully on Earth regarding what was right and what was wrong, he managed to do the right thing most of the time. That was when lived on Earth.

But eventually, he felt those morals leaving him slowly but surely.

He soon felt just how much of the eighty-three-year-old man of his old life had truly been forgotten when he found himself feeling happy that his grandfather had taken him to the auction house to buy his first slave.

It was the most painful experience he had ever faced in either lives. He almost lost himself in the years he spent living in the lap of supreme luxury and entitlement. But he didn't. He managed to remember himself before it was too late.

Living for nearly ten years as a World Noble, a Celestial Dragon, had almost robbed him of his humanity. It shook him to his core.

That was when Nadine came into the picture. A helpless child who needed him to save her. A frightened, helpless little girl who had been thrown into the deepest end of the pool without anything to keep her afloat.

Without Ford, she would have been another person's slave. Most likely one used for the sexual needs of some old man, and perhaps even for the purpose of being used as a punching bag by said old man's wife.

A slave instead of the amazing person she lived long enough to become and for him to love.

And much like Nadine, there were times when Ford needed to keep himself in check. Except rather than dealing with panic attacks and the subsequent personality change that followed, he dealt with keeping his desires in control.

It was not easy to remind himself that while he may have every right in this world, as a Noble, to have his way with Banchina at any moment, he still had no right to do so as a person. It was one of the things he never liked to discuss with anyone. Not even Nadine.

Deep down, he was scared of her finding out he had to keep himself in line. She would be with him for the rest of her life, they both knew that, but he would lose his mind if during that time she grew to hate him.

There were times when he considered telling her. However each and every time ended the same way. The two of them in bed lying naked in bed: her curling into him and him keeping his mouth shut about the whole thing.

He just couldn't help it. Every time he tried to say something to her it was like the words decided to run away from him. And in their absence he would notice how amazing Nadine looked in whatever she happened to be wearing and the cycle of silence would begin anew.

He let out a breath. "I don't suppose your son knows about you being sick, does he?" She froze. The smile on her face being slowly replaced with confusion and dread. How was it possible for him to know about something only her and two other doctors knew about?

Did they tell him? "I-I-I…what?" Ford leaned forward in his chair and held Banchina's hands with his own. "I may be able to help you, Banchina. But you must tell me what the doctors say you have."

"Y-you can…help me?" Tears pooled in her eyes.

Help her? 'How- No. If he can help me, then I won't question it. Fuck it. I need to be here for Usopp and I'll do anything at this point…' She looked at their touching hands and then worked her way up to his still smiling face. 'Anything and anyone.'

"They say I have something that they haven't seen before." Her heart skipped a beat. What if he needed the name and she couldn't tell him!? What if- "That's perfectly fine, Banchina. Just tell me how they described it."

He counted on this happening and memorized the descriptions of each and every disease she may have contracted. And while it took forever, was tedious beyond anything he could have imagined, and made him seriously contemplate jumping into the ocean more than once, it was well worth it to know that he would save a life with that knowledge.

And besides, the list only had about twenty or so diseases and sicknesses on it. The list was much shorter than it could've been.

It seemed that while it was the weakest blue, it was also the healthiest in comparison to the others.

The two spent the next half an hour working through the list Ford had memorized until they narrowed it down to something neither of them could pronounce. Taking out three bottles of pills, he placed them down on the table and slid them to her.

"You, my dear, are as good as cured. Just follow the instructions that are on the label and in three to six months you should be as good as new." Silence. "Banchina? I know it's a bit overwhelming but feel free to jump for joy and all that...It's all over now. You're going to live."

Her reaction was not at all what he expected. There were no tears or a smile, no shouting or muffled cries into her hands. Only a questioning stare. "This," she gestured to the bottles in front of her. "isn't something I can afford. And I have nothing to offer you in return."

"Actually, you do have something I want." Did he mean…sex? She hoped not. She would if he demanded her body as payment, but prayed he didn't.

'It'd be sad if that's what he was after the entire time.' SHe thought to herself. 'That the first person I meet from outside the East Blue would be so cruel.'

"You see, I'm not in the East Blue too often, and the times that I am are far and few between. As a result I often miss out on the island to island rumor mill."

As it turns out, the people of Syrup Village already knew that a Celestial Dragon was sailing around in the East Blue. They didn't know what he looked like, when he was coming, or to which of the islands or villages, but they knew before it happened.

Information networks like that would be helpful when trying to make plans. Ford figured that Banchina would be perfect for the job. The conversations he'd overheard in the town painted her in a very unassuming light.

She didn't have any close friends or relatives to speak of, but she was considered to be quite friendly with those she did talk to. If anything was clear, Banchina was really only close with Usopp.

In other words, she was perfect to be his informant in the East Blue. Still unaware of who he really was, related to a main character, and now owed him a debt for saving her life.

The only issue with her still being alive was how it would effect Usopp deciding to leave the island to join Luffy. But he'd cross that bridge when he got there.

"And I believe you can help me out with that." He paused, waiting for her to take it in.

"…Okay. I can do that. But, what exactly would I be doing?" She was unsure if the job was what she thought it was, but if it was, then she already had an answer for him.

As if on cue, there were several hard knocks on the door. Banchina jumped slightly in her chair, attempting to get up, but remained seated as Ford held them down.

Ford merely smiled at her. futile attempt to get up. "I'm so glad you asked."


	8. Chapter 7

Finished with his business in the Gecko Islands, Ford collected Nadine and left. He was sure Banchina would do as he had asked of her and felt his time there was over.

The next few weeks was a tour of the other islands that the East Blue had to offer. But they were mostly uninteresting and unimportant to Ford. He was more concerned with entering the Grand Line and traveling to Fishman Island.

But the question on his mind was how to do so. He couldn't just show up and say 'Hey, I'm here to save your Queen!' No, that wouldn't work at all.

He'd need a reason to go there. Something solid. Something…like supporting Otohime. Maybe he's going down there in secret, to give his support. Yes! That would work. That would work just fine!

"The perfect cover!" A giggle to his left brought him out of his thoughts. "And what, exactly, are you laughing at?"

"Hehehe. You're doing it again. What was it this time? You trying to find ways to sneak into Fishman Island?" He gave her a tap on the head. "Dang, you're good at that! Pretty soon you'll be finishing my-"

"Sandwiches!" She was so confident when she said it that Ford almost didn't notice how wrong she was. Almost.

"First of all, you already do that. Second of all, it looks like that won't be happening for a good long while. And third of all, you are absolutely correct in assuming that I've brilliantly devised a plan to get us into the promised lands of what we call Fishman Island."

This time he was the one to get a tap on the head. "I still think you're a big dummy for not thinking of an excuse for going there before we left Mariejois. You had years! So stop being all high and mighty and tell me your idea, already."

"Well, it involves the Sabaody Archipelago's auction house, adding some digits to our two-person party, maybe even some sandwiches, and possibly lying through our teeth to the marines once we get back." He chuckled as she groaned. Whether it was at his entire plan or just the fun parts, he didn't know.

Nadine let out a playful 'hum' as she stretched. "You're not just using this poorly made plan as an excuse to replace me, are you? Because I don't think there's anyone else who'll put up with you as well as I have."

Scoffing, he got out of the bed and got dressed. He wanted to be on the Grand Line as soon as possible. The first step in achieving that would be to inform the Captain that his guardian duties were soon coming to an end.

Something Ford was sure the man would be happy about. Of course, he would need to clarify that he wasn't going to be put to death or anything like that. Because when you're a Noble, that's something that's gotta be made clear.

"My plans are never poorly made. And for the record, you put up with me for the same reason I put up you."

She tilted her head. "Which is?"

"Because I love you." And with that, he was out the door.

Sabaody Archipelago. The place that sold slaves, broadcasted wars to the public, separated crews, and was the island to be on if you were looking for a certain bubble coating mechanic.

It had taken him less than two months to get to the island after boarding a different, much larger yet somehow faster, marine ship which was capable of taking the two of them directly across the Calm Belt and into the Grand Line.

The plan that Nadine made Ford heavily rework and resubmit for her approval was already in effect. Ford thought about each step as he walked through each of the docks looking for a good ship to commandeer.

First step of the new plan: Ford would sneak away from the ship, easily enough considering she was one of the only two badasses anywhere on board their ship or any of the neighboring ones, and steal secure a ship to be coated and then taken to Fishman Island.

Second step of the new plan: Go out and buy as many slaves as he could. Which, considering there were currently no other Celestial Dragons on Sabaody, he could do.

As a matter of fact, Ford could afford to do this every day nonstop for six years before he even lost a fraction of what he's saved up in tribute money.

Because while most of the others spent everything they had as though money were no object, Ford saved everything and only paid the costs for necessities, the occasional gala he threw to remain a 'decent' noble in their eyes, and the costs to maintain the very large manor he, Nadine, and his other servants lived in.

Nadine would wear a disguise and go buy every single slave the auction house had to offer in secret under 'orders from Saint Francis.'

Third step of the new plan: Loading the slaves into the ship and sailing away. Once they arrive at Fishman Island, via the guide Ford still needs to find and hire but is secretly hoping will reveal themselves as one of the slaves they bought, they'll release the slaves and hopefully attract enough attention to see either Otohime, King Neptune, or one of the other people whose names he's long since forgotten.

The fourth step of the new plan: there is no fourth step. At this point, the two decided that winging it would be better than putting on a show. Having an 'in the moment' mindset would be super helpful in dealing with Otohime's heart reading Haki.

'Or whatever she used during that scene. '

And, hey, at the very least she'd know they were genuine in their attempt at supporting her.

When you stopped to think about it, Haki was a dangerous and often crazy ability. With skilled enough Observational Haki you could see into the future. Armament turned your very skin into a nearly impenetrable armor. What!? Conqueror's Haki was literally the ability to take down your enemies by assaulting them with your mind!

There was a lot more to Haki than just those semi exaggerated aspects, but Ford felt like his descriptions were more in tune with his opinion of how badass he was. Though he was unable to use Conqueror's Haki, not that he wouldn't stop trying to, his progress in the other two was quite phenomenal for someone his age.

But it was to be expected when he'd surrounded himself with masters of the craft for more than seven years.

He couldn't see into the future, but he could see far more than anyone his age in Paradise could ever hope to. And while his armor wasn't strong enough to handle the heavyweights of the World Government or Marines, it was certainly enough for others just below that level.

Nadine, on the other hand, was just always just a step behind Ford in the mastery of her Haki skills. Though it was because of her feelings for Ford that had her training at all. She trained at the level of intensity she did because Ford wanted her to.

He'd seen just how powerful the people and organizations of the world were. The way they could stomp out entire islands if they became a potential threat to their world as they knew it. So there was no way in hell he'd have ever allowed Nadine to leave Mariejois with him had she not been close to the level she was currently at.

Ford thought about this plan as he successfully sailed an abandoned boat in pretty okay condition out one from of the docks he'd wandered into.

Now all he'd have to do is find Rayleigh.

'Finding the Vice-Captain of the Roger Pirates after even the Marines couldn't do so. That shouldn't be too hard, right? Nah. It'll be a breeze.'

Nadine was ready to bring the slaves she'd purchased onto the ship whenever Ford decided they were ready to leave. Until then, she would return to their room within the Marine's ship. She had to at least be there in case any of the soldiers came down for anything.

Ford was going to use the Baby Transponder Snails to let her know everything was good to go once he got the ship coated. Then they'd officially be in step three.

Until then, she'd be lounging the days away within the confines of their room. She might even come up with a way to stop the signatures from burning too badly once they got there. Because saving Otohime and not saving the signatures was a loss in its own right.

"I wonder if there'll be anyone who might recognize me." She voiced a question she'd been holding in for as long as she could remember. She'd only ever confided in Ford, so it was a nice change of pace to try and talk to no one in particular.

"If there are…what'll I do?" Another question that had been weighing on her. A question that she had that, for the first time in her life, she did not ask Ford about. It was a scary thought that she might have a family beyond Ford. A family she wasn't sure she wanted to know at all.

She had spent half of her life with Ford, and the other half she had either deeply repressed or couldn't remember. So at this point, any family she might have out there…were basically strangers compared to Ford.

She would spend the next several days waiting for Ford's call, the one letting her know the ship had been coated since the other calls he'd given her consisted of recaps of what they would do once they met up, and thinking of her problem.

'If only I could talk to Ford about this. He would know what I should do…He always knows what to do…'


End file.
